Display case



w. CI. HUENINE DISPLAY CASE Oct. 1 1,t'921,- 1, 44,675

Filed Dec. 23, 1925 Patented Get. 11, 1927.

onrrs WILLIAM: T. HUENING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO PAUL J. DAEMICKECOIVI- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

DISPLAY CASE.

Application filed December My invention relates to a refrigerator counter or display case for perishable articles of food, such as meat and the like; the invention relating more particularly to the casing frame and method of mounting the doors at what may be termed the rear side of the case. V

The object of my invention is to provide a construction whereby the doors, which are arranged to slide vertically, will beheld in more or less non-air admitting relation with the frame, while atthe same time permitting the easy removal of the door or sash from the casing for purposes of cleaning or when occasion requires and also permit the door or glass panel to be quickly'put back into place.

The objects and advantagesof my invention will be readily comprehended from the detailed description of the drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a display case with my improvement; the open or raised position of one of the doors or glass-holding sashes being shown in dotted lines. 1

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view, with portions of the bottom broken away.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the upper forward corner of the frame.

The invention relates to the method of mounting the upwardly sliding doors or panels of a display case adapted to be placed or mounted on a suitable supporting structure or counter, partially shown at 10 in Figure 1. Cases of the type in question are usually of the elongated rectangular construction shown having the rearwardly inclining front wall 11, top wall 12, while the rear wall consists of a suitable number of slide doors or sashes 13 usually arranged at a somewhat greater inclination to the perpendicular as shown more clearly in Figure 2; the lower end of the door or sash when closed being in contact with the lower rear wall portion 14 of the case.

- The case consists of the transversely arranged frame members located at 15, a portion whereof is shown in Figure 3; the frame members being located at the ends of the display case and also at intermediate points, especially when the case is of such length as to require a number of doors or sashes.

The frame members, which may be of any suitable material, preferably metal consist 23, 1225. Serial m. 77,403.

pendicular than the front portion 17 The frame member disclosed in the drawing is formed of metal, with the upper outer surface of the top and forward end portions kerfed as shown at 19 to provide a suitable ledgefor the glass panels 20, 20;

The top intermediate portion 16 and the rear end portion18 are provided in the side face thereof with a channel or groove 21. The groove extends from the point 22 at the lower end of the rear end or l'eg'18, upwardly and continues in the angularly disposed manner, extending'lengthwise of top intermediate frame portion 16, and terminates in the upwardly anddownwardly curved open end 23, see Figure 3. p a

The longitudinal rib 24: of the top intermediate frame portion 16 which forms the lower wall of channel or groove 21, at the open curved end of the groove, is socketed at 25 so'as to provide a pocket or recess slightly beneath the plane of the groove or channel; the end of rib 2t being of slightly greater thickness so'as to provide the up- 7 standing lip 26 which extends into the horizontal plane of the groove 21, intermediate v of socket 25"and the downwardly disposed open end 23 of the groove'or' channel 21.

The glass-holding sash'of the doors 13 is 2 adapted to fit in sliding relation with the sides of opposing frames 15; and the opposite ends of the sliding sash(which may while at the same time permitting the sash to slide upwardly into open positon.

The glass holding sash or door is put into place by first passing the pins at the lower end of the sash through the end 23 ofthe .7 channel so as to pass the pin overthe lip or lug 26 into groove or channel 21; then sliding the sash rearwardly until the pin adjacent to the top-of the sash is brought to register with slot end 23, moving said pin upward and over lip 26 and into the groove or channel 21, at which time the sash will be in place and may be moved rearwardly and downwardly into closed position with the lower sash pin or roller 27 at the lower end of groove or channel 21.

The frame members 15 are usually pro- Vided with a finish strip or metal trim, secured to the frame for example by small screws which screw into suitable tapped holes in the top edge or surface of the frame members, as shown at 29 in Figure 3. lVhere the sash is not in snug sliding relation at its sides with the frame members, it is apparent that after one end of the sash or door has been freed from the channel or groove 21, that forward movement of one end of the sash and rearward movement of the other end of the sash will free the other pins or rollers from the grooves or channels. The sash may be slid upwardly into open position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, to permit access to the interior of the case and its contents; the pins at the upper end of the sash, due to the weight of the sash, drop ping into the socket 25, causing the sash to remain in open position.

As the sash when moved to open position is disposed beneath the top glass panel 20, it is apparent that proper access for cleaning the inner surface of the glass is impossible. For this reason, the mounting of the sash must beof a type that will permit the door or sash to be easily removed when occasion requires. This may be quickly accomplished by moving the top end of the sash upwardly so as to cause the pins 27 at the end to move over the lip or lug 26 and thence through the open end 23 ofslot 21. The sash, with its top end free and dropped down, is then moved forwardly until the pins 27 at the lower end of the sash are brought at the open end 23 of the slot. The sash is now free from the case and may be removed therefrom. Where entire removal of the sash is not desired or necessary, it is apparent that after the pins at the top end 'of the sash have been passedthrough the open end 23 of the groove 21 as described, the bottom end of the sash may be moved back- "ward so as to bring the lower pins 27 adjacent to the bottom 22 of the groove or channel 21, permitting the free end of the sash to rest on the bottom of the case.

To replace the sash, the pins 27 at the top free end are brought to register with the open end 23 of the groove and forced upwardly over the lip or lug 26; and where the sash has been entirely removed, the pins 27 at the lower end of the sash are first brought to register with the open end 23 of the groove or channel 21 and forced over lip 26; the lower end of the sash moved toward the rear end of the case sufliciently to permit the top of the sash to be swung upwardly until the pins at the top register with the slot end 23, when they are forced over whereby the frames may be properly secured to the body portion of the display case; the extension 31 at the rear side of the display case being preferably formed to extend downwardly in lapping relation with the 'rear wall portion 14L of the display case.

I have shown and described what I believe to be the simplest embodiment of my invention; it being understood, however, that certain modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is: V

1. In a display case of the character described, transversely disposed frame members arranged in predetermined parallel spaced relation, each member constituting a top and two side portions, the opposing surface of the top and one side portion intermediate of the upper and lower edges thereof being provided with a continuous channel extending from the lower end of said side portion upwardly lengthwise of the top portion and terminating in an open end in the forward end of the top portion, an upwardly disposed stop lug, integral with the member arranged in advance of said open end arranged so as to permit passage thereabove, in combination with a sash provided with projecting pins at both ends adapted to enter said channel and to slide lengthwise thereof and arranged to permit passage over said stop-lug.

2. In a display case of the character described, a plurality of transversely disposed frame members arran ed in predetermined spaced parallel relation, each member com-' prising a continuous metal bar formed to provide a top portion and two side wall portions having perpendicular side faces, the side faces of one side portion and of the top portion being provided with a channel extending continuously throughout said side portion and the top portion with the channel in the top portion terminating in an upwardly and thence downwardly disposed end opening at the lower longitudinal edge of said member, and a sash adapted to slide upwardly between the opposing faces of the members, the opposite ends of the sash being each provided witha pair of projecting pins located adjacent to the upper-and lower ends ill) of the sash and adapted to slide in the channels.

3. A display case of the character described, comprising transversely arranged upstanding single piece frame members formed to provide a top wall and two side wall-supporting portions, the top and one of the side wall portions being chamiered to support the top and side wall glass panels,

the other side portion and the top supportenter said channels to permit vertical slid ing movement of the sash and removal of said sash by passing the pins through the upwardly and thence downwardly curved open ends of the channels.

4. display case of the ,character de scribed, comprising transversely arranged frame members composed of a single piece formed to provide atop wall supporting and two side wall supporting portions, the top and one side wall supporting portion being chamfered to receive top and side wall forming panels, while the top beneath said chamfer and the other side wall supporting portion are provided'with a channel extending upwardly from the lower end of said side wall portion and lengthwise ofthe top and terminating in the top portion adjacent to the first mentioned side wallportion in a downwardly disposed open end, a depression or socket in said channel adjacent to the open end, an integral upwardly disposed stop lug in said channel intermediate of the socket and said open end, and a rigid sash provided with projections at opposite ends, adapted to enter the channels of the correlated frame members whereby the sash may be moved upwardly into open position. WILLIAM T. HUENING. 

